[Security concern]

[Val Barton]

Strange behavior and multiples of the same devices appearing
I could REALLY use some assistance. My boyfriend has been refusing to assist me to investigate these issues or even consider the evidence I have found...which led me to think it was him. But now, I have no clue.
Here are the basics for my device:

• Type of device: Galaxy S20 5G

• Verizon

• new - this is replacement for one my boyfriend broke in June

• Whether the device may have incurred damage, such as from impact or water; not this one

• version of the OS; 11?

• Wifi, mobile data, or both; BOTH

• The source from which any troublesome apps or software were downloaded; Questionable...not sure where this is coming in, but there have been apps I did NOT add

• What you’ve already tried to fix the problem: uninstall unknown apps; changed passwords; turned off location history; cleared history, factory reset

• What message appears if you try to do something, but are unable: the latest was "secure requested" in Google's find my device app

• What you were doing before the problem occurred; looking at devices on my google account

• Whether you are using an SD card; nope. not an option on this phone

• Whether the device software has been modified or customised; nope. not rooted

• Whether there were recent repairs; no repairs

There have been a multitude of things happening, here is a short list of the latest:

1. I used "Find My Device" which indicated that 2 S20s were active - 1 only have the one. (Is it trying to connect to my phone that was broken in June, is that possible - even after I signed ALL devices out of the google account many times?) I had it find both phones. MY REAL phone was found immediately, but the other one could not be contacted. We I used the "Secure My Device" option - I got a "Secure Requested" notification.
What does that mean?

2. Items in my Verizon cloud were deleted on Monday - not by me. I contacted Verizon to see if they could determine the piece of equipment that did it. I got passed around to at least 3 different people via chat. One of them told me I needed to contact apple because they were my best bet regarding my VERIZON cloud AND he told me that they (Verizon) do not offer cloud services.

3. I called Verizon to discuss this weirdness and in the midst of discussing all of the things that have happened, the call was disconnected. My calls have never dropped at my home before this. Then the rep tried to call me back several times, but the call was declined immediately - 3 times and not by me.

There have also been multiple versions of my phone appearing on my home wifi and other unexplainable events. I have screen shots of all of the above (except the call dropping) and even video i recorded of some things happening.

I have done everything I can think of - including adding like 5 different virus checkers, resetting my wifi, and changing like EVERY password I have. I finally factory reset the phone, but this is still occuring.

HELP! What can I do?

A little backstory: I work in software development. I had a former friend/co-worker become an unrequited love stalker last year. I moved to another state, changed jobs, and my phone number. My boyfriend is now living with me, and part of me wonders if this guy (who is MUCH more computer savvy than me) is behind this.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I moved your post to create a new thread, rather than leave it as a response to the "I've been hacked" guide.

You said your current S20 is a replacement for a previously broken one -- did you ever sign out of that broken one? Go to your myaccount.google.com, then Security, then Manage My Devices. Do you still see your old broken S20 there? If so, click the 3-dot menu button associated with it and then Sign Out.

Does anyone else know your passwords? Have you changed your passwords to something complex that can't be easily guessed?

Do any of the odd behaviors go away if you boot into Safe Mode? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...ltra-5g/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-5g

 

[Golfdriver97]

HELP! What can I do?

A little backstory: I work in software development. I had a former friend/co-worker become an unrequited love stalker last year. I moved to another state, changed jobs, and my phone number. My boyfriend is now living with me, and part of me wonders if this guy (who is MUCH more computer savvy than me) is behind this.

Welcome to the forums. If the suggestion @B. Diddy above didn't work, you might also want to consider nuking your entire account. What I mean is sign out, and create a whole new GMail. Before signing out, you should be able to export contacts and such.

 

[Val Barton]

Re: [Security concern]TH

Welcome to Android Central! I moved your post to create a new thread, rather than leave it as a response to the "I've been hacked" guide.

You said your current S20 is a replacement for a previously broken one -- did you ever sign out of that broken one? Go to your myaccount.google.com, then Security, then Manage My Devices. Do you still see your old broken S20 there? If so, click the 3-dot menu button associated with it and then Sign Out.

Does anyone else know your passwords? Have you changed your passwords to something complex that can't be easily guessed?

Do any of the odd behaviors go away if you boot into Safe Mode? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...ltra-5g/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-5g

First off - thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. I truly appreciate your attention to this matter because my boyfriend could not have cared less about any of this...which kind of led to my suspicion of him.
My old phone is not listed as one of the devices signed into my google account. I have also forced all devices to exit many times. No changes.
Yes, my boyfriend has had access to my passwords, as well as my 10 year old son. I have since moved to a password keeper app, but honestly, I do not trust keeping anything on my phone. I do not know what is going on, but I do not want to provide anyone with any more of my personal information.

Update: I used the "Wifiman" app and it showed my real phone and the fake phone as both being active on my network, but the other phone was listed as a "Speed Test". I don't even know what that means.
I have not tried the Safe mode. I will change my passwords (AGAIN) and log in with SAFE mode.
Thank you again!

 

[B. Diddy]

Make sure you have 2-factor authentication turned on for your Google account as well, and if at all possible, don't let anyone (including your boyfriend) use your phone.

And this is out of the scope of our Android discussions, but the elephant in the room is the question of whether this relationship is in your best interest.:-\

 

[Val Barton]

I did that, too. Still having issues.
I could not get into Google Play a little earlier this evening. I kept getting that you are offline error. I have a Notification History application that I was trying to open and it kept popping up a message saying that there was a licensing issue with the app. That is total B/S. I paid for the app AND I have it on my chromebook and the chromebook version was working just fine. I logged out and rebooted my phone - nothing. I kept trying and it eventually worked, but I KNOW several (and by several i mean 100s) of notifications are missing.

And now I just discovered that my backups were turned off. So nothing has been backed up for 3 days.
I feel like I am losing my mind because there is no logical explanation (at least to me) why all of these "coincidences" are occuring at the same time. My b/f keeps telling me that the simplest and most logical explanation is going to be correct and that no one is messing with me. I just do not know what to believe anymore.

 

[B. Diddy]

Is this happening on both wi-fi and mobile data? If it's only on wi-fi, try rebooting your router by unplugging its power for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in. If that doesn't work, try power cycling the modem.